Latest Sensation
by Mogkyun
Summary: Story about the foundation of idol unit BiBi. / Afraid of losing her friends again, Ayase Eli wants to get rid of the a trauma she experiences regarding her family's guitar. Nishikino Maki is there to help her overcome the burden of her past. MakixEli, NozomixNico (Chapter 4 released)
1. Chapter 1: Snow Princess

**Here's a completely spontaneous fanfic coming out of left field! ∠( ****ﾟ****д****ﾟ****)****／**

**I'm Mogkyun. Nice to meet all the LoveLivers in here. I've been lurking around the archives for Love Live! fanfiction and pretty much decided to make my own fantasies into stories. While they might seem very descriptive in manner, I'm not capable of bringing out the charm of the characters using dialogue only... yet. **

**I'll get better eventually. Here's the beginning of a story I'm planning, MakixEli centric. Please read if you'd like! m(_)m**

* * *

It was a cold winter morning in Otonokizaka High School, the classes were done for the day and students could be seen leaving the building with haste. The weather report mentioned that there might be a snowstorm today; however, the blonde council president didn't care. Staring at the droplets of snow falling from the sky, she lightly placed her hand on the cold glass window, barely seeing her reflection.

She didn't particularly dislike cold weather, her roots coming from the very land of snow itself. It's been a few years since she's enrolled in the school, and now she's made a name for herself. Some students even call her nicknames because of her cold personality and stunning looks.

She made it past the first 2 years with flying colors. Now on her third year, she volunteered to be part of the student council as President. Unfortunately, she was the sole member of the student council, and had to do all the tasks by herself. She wasn't overwhelmed by her work; in fact, she did more tasks than previous council presidents. Teachers praised her for this, but she didn't get any sort of satisfaction for it. It was just something to do.

With a sigh, Ayase Eli parted her hand from the council room's window, and started preparing to go home. She looked at the corner of the room.

A black guitar case was leaning towards the wall. The presence of this object alone made Eli feel comfortable.

Grabbing her bag, she checked the files once more on the table.

Knocks were heard on the door, which made Eli jump a bit. Recollecting her thoughts, she opened the door for the already-expected guest.

Wearing Otonokizaka's uniform was a student of the school. A third-year with long purple pigtails swirling down to her hips, a nice figure which would make any man fall for her looks, albeit sexually speaking. With a grin in her face, she raised her hands and dashed towards Eli.

"Hiya, Elicchi!" The pigtailed girl hugged Eli, planting her face on the president's breasts and squeezing her tight.

"N-Nozomi..." Eli said, a slight blush forming on her face. She couldn't move from this position, all she could do is ask for mercy with a smile.

Nozomi let go after getting her daily dose of Eli breasts, and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go eat parfaits together!" Nozomi looked at Eli with expectations, like a child wanting to go to an amusement park. Eli simply sighed, but she smiled at the expected invitation.

"Sure. Let me just make sure I haven't forgotten anything, okay?" Eli asked politely, letting go of Nozomi's hand.

"Okay~!" Nozomi cheerfully said and entered the council room, leaving her bag next to the door and scouting around for stuff to do while waiting.

On the corner of her eye was the guitar case leaning against a wall, in which Nozomi was curious about, never having been in the council room before.

She carefully removed the guitar from the case, and looked at it carefully. It looked really worn out, and the wood had a lot of marks around it. She held it in a playing position.

"Elicchi, you play guitar? That's amazing~" Nozomi said as she started strumming the guitar. The sound alone made Eli jump. She dropped her bag and looked behind at Nozomi with bloodshot eyes.

"**DON'T TOUCH THAT!**" Eli raised her voice, screaming at her pigtailed friend, which made her stop all movement.

She rushed towards her and took the guitar away by force, pushing the third year out of balance.

Nozomi fell on the floor and looked up to Eli, whose face was completely filled with anger.

"S-Sorry..." Visible tears forming in her eyes, she was clearly scared at the sudden whiplash. Realizing what she's done, Eli set the guitar on the table and tried to approach Nozomi with an apologetic face, but the third year crawled back instead.

"N-Nozomi...? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Eli tried to apologize to Nozomi, but she couldn't find the words to explain why she screamed at her like that.

As Eli got closer, Nozomi tried to stand up, looking at Eli with teary eyes and a sorrowful look. Unable to control herself, she quickly took her bag and ran down the hallway.

"Nozomi! Wait!" Eli dashed outside the council room and tried to give chase through the hallway, but the girl was just too fast for her.

Unable to run anymore, Eli fell on her knees and lowered her head, trying to hide her own tears.

"Why...? Why do I always do this...?"

* * *

"See you tomorrow, Maki-chan!" A first-year waved her classmate goodbye, and disappeared through the school entrance.

Nishikino Maki was regarded to everyone as "that rich girl who's good at everything", and thus explains her popularity throughout the school. Being a model figure for the student body means getting good grades at all costs, having a certain level of social interaction with people and, of course, looking beautiful at all times. Nishikino Maki excelled all of those traits, making most students think of her as an "unapproachable diamond".

Stepping out to the cold winter, Maki started to think about her future. It's almost Christmas, she will graduate soon, and although it's her first year, she always wanted to chase her dream of becoming a musician.

She chose this school for a reason, regardless of her parents' choice. They wanted her to go to UTX Academy, a prestigious school, home of the idol group A-RISE and bearer of the latest learning technology in Japan. But she simply wanted to go to a normal school, to spend a normal high school life. After much debate, her parents decided to grant her wish, in exchange for good grades and reputation for the Nishikino family.

"...Ah, I forgot..." Maki checked her bag for her music sheets, but she seems to have forgotten them in the Music Club room.

"Geez, those are really important, I better hurry..." The redhead said in an irritated voice, hurriedly entering the building and changing her shoes to go in.

Walking up the stairs, she heads for the Music Club room. Opening the door with a spare key, she enters the room. The first thing she sees is that big grand piano sitting next to the chalkboard, and on top of it, the sheet music Maki was looking for.

"Here it is..." Maki grabbed the sheet music and placed them in her bag, zipping it shut. Getting ready to leave, she closed the door and walked down the stairs.

Before taking another step, she heard faint guitar sounds.

"...Huh?" Maki tried to listen in, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

Retracing her steps back to the Music Club room, she walked through the hallway, the guitar sounds getting louder as she approaches...

"The Student Council...?" Maki peeked through the door window, and her eyes widened.

A beautiful sight.

The cold Council President, Ayase Eli, was sitting on the table, playing the guitar gracefully with a sad expression. The only source of light in the room was the climate outside the building, a sorrowful gray-colored sky. Looking at the way she was playing, she looked really depressed, and her face showed signals of tears.

She stopped playing and laid her head on the guitar, using her arm to support her forehead. She looked in pain, and sniffled very loudly. Maki couldn't bear to look at this scene anymore, and entered the room.

"N-Nishikino-san!?" Eli said, surprised at the entrance of the least expected of guests. She placed her guitar on the table and raised herself up. Stains and leftovers of her tears were collecting on her cheeks, and she tried to hide her face by facing away from her.

"W-What might you be doing here...?" Eli sniffled, flustered, trying to wipe her own tears.

Maki breathed deeply, dropped her bag on the floor and stepped forward.

"Club activities are over, you should be going ho-" Eli was interrupted by the sudden warmth of Maki's embrace from behind.

"Eh...? Nishikino-san...?" Eli was confused at the sudden body contact. Her heart was in pain, and the soothing embrace Maki gave her was making her tenser than before. She was nervous.

Maki rested her head on Eli's back, and squeezed tighter.

"I don't know all the details, but I can't stand looking at the President like this." Maki said in a whisper. Her calm voice managed to loosen Eli's tense body, and she could feel it.

"Music is meant to express your feelings, but it doesn't help when your feelings overwhelm it." Maki let go of her embrace, and tried to make Eli face her.

Eli turned around to see Nishikino Maki, warmly smiling at her.

"Which is why you should let your feelings settle in before you make them into a song." Maki said while placing her hand on Eli's cheek, wiping her tears.

Eli took Maki's hand from her cheek and held it with both hands.

"Thank you... Nishikino-san. I think I've calmed down a little." Eli assured her, her grip on Maki's hand getting stronger.

"It doesn't look that way to me." Maki said, looking down at her hand. She was shaking, and probably afraid to be left alone.

"Want it or not, I'm staying with you until I get a hold of the situation, okay?" Maki looked at Eli straight in the eye with a serious expression. Eli simply nodded.

"It's getting late, so I'll be taking you to my house. Once I'm assured that you'll be fine on your own, you can go." Maki said, breaking eye contact with the blonde. She took her bag and looked at the guitar on the table.

"Do you want to leave that here?" Maki asked while pointing at the guitar.

"...Yes." Eli affirmed. She grabbed the guitar and secured it on its case, and left it leaning against the wall in a corner. She grabbed her bag and followed Maki outside the council room.

* * *

Leaving the building, the walk from the school to Maki's house was silent all the way through. Although it was a short distance, the cold made conversation useless. Maki was facing front the whole time, making sure Eli was following her by hearing her footsteps and looking back whenever she could.

Before Eli realized, they have had arrived at the Nishikino residence. The front gate was fancy and the flower garden was covered completely in snow, it almost looked like a castle out of a fairy tale. Maki took out a set of keys and opened the front gate, heading inside.

"How long are you going to stand there? Come here." Maki said with an irritated expression. This was the first time she had invited a friend over, and it wasn't any ordinary person - it was the Student Council President.

Eli hurriedly entered the residence, following Maki through the garden. They reached the front door, and Maki opened it with her keys. The inside of her house was huge, leaving Eli dumbfounded. Maki took off her shoes and signaled Eli to do so as well, and headed for the kitchen.

"I'm going to make us something to eat. Go watch TV in the living room while you wait." Maki pointed to the flat screen TV hanging on the wall in the living room, and Eli nodded.

Sitting on one of the comfortable sofas the Nishikino family had, Eli tried to recollect her thoughts on what happened so far... And what she should tell Maki about. Eli turned on the television and started browsing through the grand variety of channels.

A couple of minutes passed, and Eli heard some of the windows cackling. She raised herself from the sofa and looked outside.

"A snowstorm..." Eli expected this to happen.

"Why don't you stay here?" Maki appeared out of the kitchen holding a tray in her hands. Servings of miso soup, hamburger steak, rice and a salad were on it, and she placed it on the dining table near the living room.

"Ah... No, I really shouldn't intrude... What about your parents?" Eli asked with a flustered look, she looks lost.

"They're overseas, working." Maki said bluntly while settling the table with utensils and drinks.

"You should contact your parents that you'll be staying with me because of the snowstorm." Maki looked at Eli, who seemed at a loss on what to do. Maki simply sighed and wiped her hands with a tissue.

"Come on, let's eat." She signaled the blonde to sit down. Maki sat down and grabbed a set of chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu." Maki said, and Eli followed suit.

Eli took a bite of the hamburger steak... And her eyes sparked with joy.

"It's delicious... It's delicious, Nishikino-san!" Eli took another bite and wolfed the entire thing down in a very polite manner.

Maki giggled slightly, and started eating as well, in a more casual manner.

"There's more in the tray, eat as much as you like." Maki smiled at Eli, who appeared to be such a glutton in her eyes. Maybe she just hasn't eaten western-styled Japanese food in her life.

"Thank you!" Eli beamed with happiness as she grabbed one... two... three hamburger steaks. Maki couldn't help but find it amusing.

After the meal was over, Maki picked up all the plates and put them in the dish washer, luckily there were no leftovers.

"Thanks for the food." Eli said in a polite manner once again.

"Don't worry about it." Maki returned from the kitchen with two mugs filled with tea. She sat one on the living room table and sat down on the sofa.

"Come here." She scooted over to one side, and signaled Maki to sit next to her. Eli was hesitant at first, but this is the reason she's at the Nishikino residence in the first place. Trying not to look so nervous, she took a sip of her tea and looked at Maki, who was looking at her very seriously.

"...So, why were you crying?" Maki asked bluntly, careful as to not intimidate the blonde. Eli looked down to her tea mug.

"It was a friend of mine... I screamed at her without realizing, and I guess I scared her..." Eli tried to smile slightly.

"Why?" Maki asked.

"She tried to lay hands on something... Very precious to me." Eli put down her tea mug on the table and looked at Maki.

Her face was red for some reason.

"...Nishikino-san?" Eli cocked her head to the side, confused. Maki shook her head and looked at Eli, flustered.

"I-It's nothing! U-Um... Can you describe what was that... 'Precious' thing she tried to lay her hands on?" Maki asked in stutters. Eli responded with a slight blush, and a bit of embarrassment.

"It was my…" Eli tried to build suspense.

"My…?" Maki asked.

"My guitar…" Eli hid her face with both of her hands, feeling too embarrassed to even look at the first-year.

Maki facepalmed. She didn't expect such an absurd answer.

"...Why would you be so worked up over a guitar?" Maki asked with a deadpan expression.

"I've been playing it ever since I was a child... It's become my partner for life, and I've made such good memories with it... Bad memories, too." Eli said with an emphasis on 'Bad'.

"You mean... You had a trauma?" Maki added.

"Trauma...?" Eli doesn't seem to understand the word.

"Something you've experienced in your past that would cause an emotional breakdown if you see it in a present time is mostly known to as a trauma." Maki explained to her the meaning of the word. Having a family of doctors had its benefits.

"So, for example, if someone were to _break_ your guitar in the past, you would... Hey, Eli?"

Maki looked at Eli, who was shaking furiously. She blocked both her ears with her hands, and looked down to her knees.

"Hey, Eli... Are you okay?" Maki placed a hand on Eli's shoulder, only to be shaken away by her.

"No! Leave me alone!" Eli was on the verge of tears again. Maki looked at her with a sad expression, and embraced her again.

Putting Eli's head to her chest, Maki softly caressed her hair.

"It's okay. I'm here with you." Maki assured Eli, using one hand to rub her back and another one to caress her hair.

"I'm sorry for making you remember such a painful memory." Maki snuggled closer to Eli, who enjoyed the redhead's warmth. She calmed down soon after.

"Nishikino-san... I'm sorry..." Eli sniffled, embarrassed at her sudden outburst. Maki couldn't help but care about the blonde. Being a first-year herself, it is unheard of to console an upperclassman like this. But this is a special exception.

"Eli." Maki called out to her. Eli looked up at Maki, who was smiling like an angel.

"No matter what happens, I'll be here for you until you recover. I can't leave you alone, not like this." Maki said, her embrace getting stronger.

"Nishikino-san..." Eli said with teary eyes. Maki wiped a few tear droplets gathering up on her cheeks, and looked at her light blue eyes.

"Call me Maki. That's what friends call each other... right?" Maki winked at the blonde playfully. Eli smiled at her.

"Okay... Maki. I'll be in your care." Eli rested her head on Maki's chest, feeling her warmth for one more time. 

* * *

**Aaaaand that's it. This story is planned to continue, hopefully the following chapters will have the same length and progress as the previous one. **

**Thank you for reading! (*****ゝ****ω****・****)****ﾉ**


	2. Chapter 2: Fragile Radiance

**It suddenly turned into a NozomixNico doujin! (;ﾟДﾟ)  
Just kidding, it's actually the second pairing and part of the first chapter from Nozomi's point of view.**  
**For reference, the Yazawa Nico portrayed in this story is similar to the Yazawa Nico portrayed in the manga.****  
Please read the manga if you haven't done so already! (´・ω・`)  
**

**Thank you for all the comments in the Reviews section.**  
**Special shoutouts to chromate for pointing out my mistakes, it really helps for future improvement. (b´∀｀)**

**We'll be back with more ElixMaki eventually, but for now, here's a bit of a side-story.**

* * *

Without realizing, I ran away from her.

Running through the cold hallways of Otonokizaka, I lowered my speed once I reached the front entrance, and changed into my outdoor shoes very quickly. I wanted to get out of Eli's sight; hopefully she doesn't see me leaving the school after what happened back there... It hurts to remember.

...

"_**Don't touch that!**_" I looked at Eli, who appeared to be really angry. I backed down a little at the sudden approach from her, and she took the guitar away from my hands with amazing strength. Surprised at the sudden movement, I fell off balance and hit the floor, hard. I couldn't think. I felt so powerless at that moment, watching my best friend turn up against me. This is the first time something like this has happened between us, and it doesn't look like I can joke my way outside of this. Without realizing, my eyes started to water, trying their best to withhold my tears. I looked down on the floor and muttered the only words that could possibly alleviate the situation.

"_S-Sorry…_" I shyly said, tears starting dropping down my face. I was scared. I looked at Eli, who had a very angry expression not a few seconds ago, but now sported one of sadness. She placed the guitar away and tried to approach me slowly. Instinctively, I crawled on the opposite direction, still locking my eyes on her movements. I was shaking. I wanted to run away. The way she took the guitar from my hands wasn't normal; she looked at me like I was some sort of devil.

"_N-Nozomi…? Sorry, I didn't mean to…_" Eli got closer. I couldn't take this anymore, fearing that she might do something else to me. I wanted to leave. With the remainder of my strength, I raised myself up from the floor, grabbing my bag in the progress. I ran out of the council room and into the hallway, not looking back. I could hear Eli begging me to stop, but it only made me run even faster.

"_I'm sorry, Elicchi… I'm sorry!_" I cried as I ran.

Shaking my head to make any leftover memories fade away, I looked forward and exited the building. I live quite away from Otonokizaka, near the residential district of the city. I walked quickly to the exit, looking back at the school's windows in search for the blonde.

"_Elicchi..._" I sighed at the realization of how stupid I was. I've never seen her so worked up before, it really scared me... I was afraid she might hurt me for touching her guitar.

"_Why would she panic over such a stupid reason...?_"

Not giving it much thought, I walked outside the school gates, and spotted the figure of someone I didn't expect to see.

Wearing the school uniform was a third-year of short stature. Her lean figure would give the impression of a fragile girl, capable of breaking to the touch. Her long black twintails swayed around cheerfully as she turned around and flashed me a bright smile.

"_Nozomin! What's up?_" The raven-haired girl approached me in hops, almost like a small bunny. Yazawa Nico was a celebrity in school, everything she does and says seemed to bring a smile to anyone, and it was really easy to fall for her charming personality. I faked a smile and greeted her.

"_Hiya, Nicocchi. What are you doing so late in school?_" I asked nonchantly, like I didn't care. Nico could see right through me, and got closer to my face.

"_Hmm~ What might I be doing, exactly~? I don't even know, nico~!_" Nico said in a teasing tone. She tends to end her sentences in "-nico" to add cuteness to her conversations, but I don't buy it.

I sighed and looked at her over once more. She had her school bag with what seemed to be a poster sticking out of it.

"_What's that poster?_" I asked, looking at the poster in question with noticeable curiosity. Nico backed away from my face a bit, and pulled out the poster, showing me its contents.

"_Ta-dah~! I'm starting an Idol Club!_" Nico said holding the poster in one hand, puffing her chest. She looked really silly feeling good about something like this, and I giggled a little.

"_That's so like you, Nicocchi._" I said to her, trying to look as cheerful as possible, but it seemed to cause the opposite effect. A visible frown could be seen on my face for a second, in which Nico reacted to.

"_I'll be taking recruits next week! Would you like to join?_" Nico said with a face full of expectations. I smiled at the sudden invitation, but I've already made my decision when she showed me the poster.

"_Sorry, Nicocchi. I'm not interested in idol things._" I said with an apologetic face, and Nico simply pouted.

"_Mu... I knew it... I thought you might have a change of heart and finally realize the charms and greatness of idols!_" Nico rolled her poster back to her bag and zipped it, leaving the poster sticking outside again.

"_I'm not really in the mood right now, Nicocchi._" I sighed and walked past Nico, trying my best to hide my expression.

"_See you tomorrow, then._" Not looking back to her, I continued my pace and tried to leave the scene.

"_Wait._" Nico said in a serious voice, which made me look back in surprise. She sported a really concerned face, and her deep scarlet eyes made me stop all movement completely.

"_Did something happen between you and Eli?_" She hit the bullseye. I simply looked away from her, and tried to mutter a few words.

"_Nothing happened. W-We're just going home separately._" I said in stutters, barely audible to Nico. I turned my back to her and started walking away.

Nico grabbed my arm, and stopped me in my tracks. Looking back to her, the very same expression she just had changed into one of worry, and her grip on my arm got stronger.

"_Let go._" I said, raising my arm, trying to shake Nico off.

"_I don't want to._" The cheerful Yazawa Nico didn't budge from my arm, and pulled her body closer, completely locking my arm with hers.

"_Please tell me what happened. We're friends... aren't we?_" Nico said with concern, her expression almost turning into a sad one, afraid of being rejected. Her scarlet eyes were staring at me like a maiden in love. She was worried about me and my current emotional state, the always-smiling Yazawa Nico only showed this side of her to me.

I lowered my arms slowly and sighed deeply.

"_...Okay... I'll tell you what happened... To be honest, I'm not sure what happened myself, but if that makes you happy... I'll tell you._" I assured Nico with a melancholic smile. Nico smiled back at me and returned to her usual self.

"_Okay! It's been a while since I went to your apartment, so let's have our private girls' talk there!_" Nico cheerfully pulled my arm in my former direction, and started leading the way. I sighed once more and simply let her do what she wanted. Letting go of my arm, we walked at a steady pace through the cold streets towards my apartment.

* * *

Arriving at the apartment, I took out my keys and opened the door for her. Nico went in and dropped her bag near the entrance, taking off her shoes. She walked over to the sofa near the dining table and dropped herself on it, with a loud thud. I closed the door and looked at my guest, who seemed to be way too comfortable around my house.

"_Nozomin~ Nico is hungry, make something to eat~!_" Nico begged me with puppy eyes and a sad expression. Any person would fall for this facade, but I knew what kind of person Nico was before anyone else. We've been friends for a long time, after all.

"_Fine, just wait there... And don't break anything._" I walked over to the kitchen, putting on an apron and preparing the stove. I decided to make some homemade Yakiniku to combat the cold, and made the preparations for the side dishes. Large servings of rice and desserts were Nico's favorite, but for the sake of her body, I retracted from making so much food.

The black-haired girl hummed a tune while playing around with her phone, most likely texting people over Twitter. The girl had already made a name for herself in various social networking sites, with the title of "Super Idol". Fortunately, nobody knows who she really is.

I took this time to change out of my school uniform into more casual clothing, while the food was being prepared. I ran to my room and pulled out clothes from a drawer. A simple set of pants and a blouse was all I needed for the night. I quickly got changed and removed my ribbons, letting my hair drop down.

Returning to the kitchen, I placed the electric stove near the dining table and started laying Yakiniku pieces over it. The hot surface started burning the food to crisp, grilling noises filling the apartment completely. Nico could smell the food from her sitting position, her humming increasing in volume and she swayed her body from left to right on beat. I somehow found this very charming, and smiled to myself. She's really cute when she doesn't realize it.

I put the side dishes on the dining table and placed utensils on our respective plates. I got two sets of chopsticks and a small bottle of soy sauce, and applied it on the stove's surface. The grilling noises got louder, and I turned the stove meter down to minimum.

"_Nico, the food's ready._" I signaled Nico to take a seat, and she jumped out of the sofa. Almost running towards the table, she took a seat in front of me and took a set of chopsticks.

"_Yay~ Itadakimasu-nico~!_" Nico cheerfully said, and started taking pieces of Yakiniku from the stove. I felt relaxed just seeing her joyful expression as she wolfed down the food. With a bowl of rice in her left hand, and chopsticks in the other, she ate to her heart's content. I took a bowl of rice and followed suit as well.

Nico and I have been friends since our first year. I've known her before Eli, and she has helped me many times, although not academically speaking. Her grades were sub-par and she was labeled to everyone as a childish person, but she didn't care. She kept smiling, showing off her charming personality. Nothing would directly affect her emotional state, unless it was something related to her loved ones. She was like a little sister to me, pushing me through hard times and oriented me on how to live on my own. A hard-working girl who does her best... I'm a bit jealous, honestly.

Nico noticed me staring at her, and she giggled teasingly.

"_Ara, did you get captivated by Nico-sama eating Yakiniku? How cute~_" Nico winked at me in a teasing manner. I blushed a little and looked away from her.

"_O-Of course not! Don't be ridiculous._" I said, flustered, trying to find words to cut this teasing down... Huh?

I looked at my living room's window, and could see the curtains moving frenetically. I placed my food down raised myself up from my chair, walking towards it.

"_What's wrong?_" Nico asked curiously, looking at my direction. I opened the curtains and all I could see was white. It seemed the snow piled up on the window, and I could hear cackling coming from the window.

"_It's a snowstorm... The weather report said something about this, didn't it? That's unfortunate..._" I looked at Nico, who for some reason was wearing a bright smile.

"_You mean, I get to stay over!?_" Nico cheered, raising her hands in the air.

"_Yay~ A sleepover with Nozomin~!_" The raven-haired girl returned to her food, eating slower than normal, now trying to enjoy the taste of her homemade dinner. I sighed and closed the curtains, returning to my seat.

"_You should call back home if you're staying._" I told Nico with a concerned look, but was responded with a smile.

"_Don't worry! I'll send them a message, I'm sure they'll understand~_" Nico announced proudly, definitely looking forward to our sleepover. I sighed and smiled back at her. She is really easy to talk to.

Once we were done with our food, Nico started picking up the plates and washing them in the sink. Cleaning was one of Nico's many specialties, and I just let her do as she pleased. She started humming a tune again, swaying her hips from left to right, her twintails following her body movements smoothly. I giggled to myself and started cleaning out the leftovers and remaining utensils.

Once we were done with cleaning, we both sat on the sofa and took a break. Nico sighed heavily, clearly exhausted from eating and washing the dishes. She scooted over to me and laid her head on my shoulder, which surprised me a little. She has always been this clingy towards me.

"_Thanks for the food, nico~_" She snuggled to me like a small cat looking for a place to sleep. I tried my best not to appear flustered, and looked at the snow-covered window. It was still shaking from the snowstorm outside, and its noise filled the room.

"_It's nothing._" I told Nico, responding to her gratitude with a smile. She parted her head from my shoulder and looked at me with those scarlet eyes. I somehow expected this mood to take over, and she probably knows as well. Bracing myself by lowering my head, avoiding Nico's gaze, I waited for the question.

"_Nozomi... What happened between you and Eli?_" Nico asked with her serious tone again. Her character broke completely at that exact moment. She rarely shows this side of her to anyone; it shows that she's really concerned about me. I smiled at her and told her about what happened in the student council room, from my point of view.

...

"_...How horrible..._" Nico said with a frown. She seems to have a grudge against Eli now, and that's something I don't want. I placed my hand on Nico's, and grabbed it strongly.

"_I don't want you to get mad at her, Nicocchi. She must have a good reason for getting angry, but I'm not sure how I can approach her... Will you help me?_" I asked the raven-haired girl for assistance with a sad expression, and she complied. She let go of my hand and held me in an embrace, which caught me off guard. Her petite body was really warm, and I had to lean forward to match her height. I really needed that.

"_Don't worry, Nozomi. I'll be here to help you, anytime._" Nico said in a whisper. I simply closed my eyes and tried to enjoy the warmth for a few seconds, until finally parting away from Nico's embrace.

"_Now then... I should get changed! Do you have any spare clothes I could use?_" Nico raised herself from the sofa, and looked down to me. I giggled a bit and teased her.

"_Yes, I still have my clothes from middle school... Want to try them on?_" I said with a grin. Nico made an angry face and started getting conscious of her height.

"_Geez... Don't bring that up!_" Nico jabbed at my arm with little force, a small "iyan~" coming out of my mouth. Having her company was always fun, and I liked the idea of having a sleepover with her... It's been a while since we've had one.

I walked upstairs with Nico to my room, where she quickly jumped on my bed, putting her face on the pillow.

"_Nozomin's bed~ So fluffy~_" Nico said, her voice volume muffled by the comfortable pillow. The bed was big enough for her to roll around in.

"_I'm going to prepare the bath, so get your clothes ready. Choose whatever you like._" I said, entrusting Nico with choosing her own clothes. For some reason, Nico's eyes were sparkling with expectation.

"_You mean, we're gonna take a bath together!?_" Nico said with a grin. I blushed at the sudden proposition; it might not be that bad… No, it is bad!

"_No! We're not gonna take a bath together…you'll be going in first._" I shot down Nico's offer, the petite girl pouting and inflating her cheeks like a child.

"_Mumuuu… You don't want to take a bath with the Super Idol Yazawa Nico!? Fine! I'll take a bath by myself!_" She took a set of clothes from the closet of my middle school years, and walked past me…

"_But, if you want to peek… That's okay too_..." Nico turned her head around winked at me seductively. My face turned into a shade of red completely, and I looked away from her, feeling flustered.

"_W-What are you saying, idiot… Go take a bath already!_" I tried to hide my embarrassment and any indecent thoughts of having a bath with Nico, and started looking for clothes myself. Taking the hint, Nico giggled and closed the door, feeling accomplished.

I sighed and looked at my closet. Taking out a nightdress and a set of underwear, I folded them up in the table and waited for Nico to be done with her bath. I stepped outside my room to get a spare towel out of the laundry, and could hear Nico singing in the bathroom.

_Whatcha do? Whatcha do?  
I do "Private Wars"  
Hora seigi to zurusa te ni shite  
Whatcha do? Whatcha do?  
I do "Private Wars"  
Hora jinsei chotto no yuuki to jounetsu desho~_

I warmly smiled at her singing voice. Listening in while getting my towel, I noticed the song Nico was singing was "Private Wars" by the popular idol group A-RISE. Nico's singing was superb, and had the ability to fill anyone with energy.

"_I guess that's what idols are about…_" I said to myself, throwing myself on the bed and pulling out my cellphone.

The background was a picture of me, Nico and Eli, smiling at the camera. I looked at it with a frown, and simply turned it off. I placed it on the night table and set my eyes on the ceiling. Closing my eyes slightly, I started to fall asleep.

* * *

"_Nozomin~! I'm done with the bath~!_" I stepped outside the bathroom with the used towel and clothing, and reached for the laundry. I placed the dirty clothing on the washing machine and operated it to wash and dry for the night.

Letting my loose hair sway around my back, I started drying it and straitening it in front of the glass mirror in the laundry. Soon after I finished, I entered Nozomi's room. What I saw made my heart skip a beat, and a bright smile came across my face.

"_Geez… At least tell me you're going to sleep._" I sighed and smiled warmly at the sight of the spiritual girl sleeping soundly. Her mouth was slightly opened, and her breathing sounds were very quiet, almost like a baby. I took out some blankets from her closet and placed them over her very carefully, one by one.

Nozomi changed her body position, and moved to the side slightly. She was getting comfortable, simply diving in to the temptation of sleep with the newfound blanket. I turned off the lights and carefully placed myself next to her, taking a side on the bed.

Looking at Nozomi's sleeping face one more, I got closer to her. My heart beating faster as I got closer, I just did what my body wanted. I kissed Nozomi's forehead, wishing her sweet dreams.

Covering myself with the blanket, I fell asleep alongside my best friend.

* * *

**That's it for now. You've probably noticed already, but I made the dialogues into _~italics~_ to make it easier to differentiate from the text.**

**Once again, thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3: Melodical Memory

**Eli:** **"_NicoMaki? Mitomerarenai wa._"**

**The Student Council President is strong, in more ways than one. I hope you're all doing her respective event in School Idol Festival! **

**Anyway, here's an update portraying a bit of backstory and the night after the snowstorm. The chapter length is getting slightly longer, so expect a 10k+ word chapter in a few weeks. (Not really.)**

**Once again, thanks for all the comments. While I might not be able to release a chapter tomorrow, I'll try to work on the next one as soon as I can. My writing environment consists ****of a comfy bed and a smartphone anyways, and you don't get those around university campus. (´・ω・`)**

**Without further ado, here's the next chapter.**

* * *

"_Papa, teach me how to play guitar!_"

The tall figure looked down to the little blonde girl, who was smiling brightly at his father. Interrupting his daily routine of guitar playing after work, the little girl closed the door and entered her father's music studio. The brown-haired man in his thirties was wearing a simple black shirt and long jeans, with only socks protecting his feet. He placed his acoustic guitar aside with a sigh, and raised himself up from the small chair. He walked up to her daughter and picked her up with both hands, barely exerting any force, and sat down with her petite body laying on his leg. He took his guitar and carefully placed it in front of the small girl, positioning her left hand on the neck, and her right hand on the strings below.

"_Alright, princess. I'm only going to teach you this once, so pay attention, okay?_" Her father asked in a sweet voice, and the preteen girl enthusiastically nodded. He took her left hand's fingers and placed them in form of a G major chord.

"_This is called a G major chord._" He signaled the girl to strum the guitar. A very wet sound came out from the sound hole, and her father sighed, expecting this sort of outcome.

"_No, no, you're holding the strings down too hard. Ease them up a little._" He took her daughter's fingers and raised them up from their position, placing them again in a relaxed manner. She signaled the girl to strum again, her fingers getting caught up in the strings.

"_Ow!_" The small girl squealed at the sudden sensation, inserting her finger inside her mouth to alleviate the pain. Her father took her left hand's fingers and pressed them firmly against the fretboard. He took his free right hand and strummed once, a beautiful G major chord filling the small room.

The little girl took out her finger from her mouth with new found determination, and tried to mimic her father's movement. She strummed the guitar, and the very same noise came out of the sound hole. Cheerfully smiling at the outcome, she strummed a few more times at her own pace.

Her father slowly removed her left hand from the neck, which was pressing her daughter's fingers on the fretboard, and let her play on her own. The same G major chord continued to play on without any mistakes, leaving him quite impressed. Her daughter looked up to him with expectation.

"_Did I do it right?_" Ayase Eli looked at her father, who flashed a smile.

"_Yes, you did. Now, next lesson._" Her father took her left hand and positioned her fingers in a C major chord.

"_This is the C major chord. You have to remember the names and the sound they make, or you'll never be able to play right._" Her father told her, signaling her to strum. She played the chord without problems, and continued to play it over and over. The man suddenly stopped her right hand.

"_Now play a G major chord._" Eli's father said with a smirk. Closing his eyes and bracing for the inevitable miss, he flinched as soon as he heard the most unexpected sound.

A beautiful G major, similar to the one he heard not a few seconds ago.

Shaking his head, he took the girl's left hand and positioned her fingers on the fretboard in a completely different position.

"_This is D major. Try to strum the guitar up and down._" The man said with a sweat drop, trying to not sound so frustrated. What took him weeks to practice when he was younger was being mastered by his own daughter. How can she learn so fast?

The girl nodded, and slowly strummed the guitar up and down. The sound of guitar strings filled the room in harmonic peace. Eli's father stopped her right hand again, and took control of the guitar.

"_Now I'm going to play the very same chords, and you have to repeat them in order, okay?_" The man looked at her daughter, who gave him a very determined look. She nodded strongly, and looked at the guitar very intensively.

Eli's father started to strum the guitar up and down in a G major chord. Eli listened very carefully and looked at her father's fingers with amazing concentration. After one measure, he switched to the D major chord, with the C chord following soon after. He stopped playing there, and left the guitar to her daughter.

"_Now do the same thing I did. It's okay to make mistakes, just try to not lose the rhythm._" Her father gave her a tip before leaving her in the small chair with the guitar.

"_I'm going to check on your mother, keep practicing in the meantime._" Eli nodded firmly, and placed her entire attention to the guitar. Strumming the guitar in a G major chord, she attempted to quickly change her finger position to a C major, but a completely different sound came out instead. Smiling slightly, Eli's father left the room and headed downstairs towards the kitchen, where she encountered her wife and beloved.

"_Oh, Dear... Is that Eli playing up there?_" The blonde woman asked in Russian, whilst preparing some stew for dinner. She was wearing a small blouse and short pants that accentuated her slim figure and ample thighs, seemingly almost erotic. Her husband walked forward and gave her a loving hug.

"_Yes, and she's a fast learner, as expected..._" Ayase Eli has always gotten the top grades in middle school, and was perfect in almost every single way. The Russian beauty smiled at the sudden hug, and kissed her beloved on the cheek.

"_That's because you raised her to be the best._" The woman assured, causing her husband let go, laughing at himself.

"_Hahaha, good one..._" The man smiled, and her wife cocked her head to the side, confused.

"_What's so funny?_" The blonde asked with a pout, thinking he shot down her praise and good intentions.

"_I didn't raise her to be the best. We did._" The man backed away from her with a smirk, and headed for the refrigerator. He took a small bottle of juice for his daughter and a can of soda for him. Closing the door, he noticed the blonde woman giggling to herself and continued making the stew, cheerfully humming a tune under her breathing.

"_When's dinner?_" The man asked while opening both drinks on the table.

"_In a few minutes, go call Eli to eat._" Her wife announced decisively, and the brown-haired man complied. He walked towards the stairs to tried to call her daughter.

"_Elichika~! Dinner is ready~!_" The man exclaimed below the stairs, and after a few seconds of no response, he decided to walk up to get her himself.

Once the man reached the top floor, he could hear faint guitar noises. But they didn't sound like noise, it sounded like... _Harmony?_

He rushed to the music studio's door, and placed his ear next to the cold wood. He could hear the chords he taught his daughter just a few minutes ago, playing one after another not after every measure, but after _every single beat_. His eyes widened at the sudden realization that she was making a melody out of three simple chords, and she made them sound so well.

The man opened the door quickly, which made the little girl flinch, and she stopped all her movements at the sudden entrance of her father. With a surprised face, they stared at each other for a few seconds, until the man broke the silence.

"_Sweetie... Dinner is ready._"

* * *

"_Thanks for the food!_" All members of the Ayase family said, almost in unison. Eli stepped down from her chair and headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for the night. Meanwhile, the blonde woman helped a smaller child off the dining chair, a little girl with blonde hair, similar to her mother... only lighter.

"_Dear, take Alisa to her room, would you?_" The woman asked sweetly, and the man nodded. She grabbed both her arms and lifted her up, carefully placing her on his shoulders.

"_Alright, let's go! Russian aviator, ready to launch!_" Her father announced in a manly voice, getting fired up and moving quickly up the stairs.

"_Yay~! Russian aviator, go, go!_" Arisa cheered for her father, giving him more motivation. His wife was giggling in the background while cleaning up what was left of dinner in the table.

Eli exited the bathroom and spotted her mother washing the dishes, and she approached her with a smirk.

"_Hey, Mama, need help with anything?_" The little girl asked, showing enthusiasm. The woman smiled warmly at her child, and pointed to the pile of wet plates next to her.

"_You can start by drying out those and placing them in the drawers._" With a nod, Eli rolled up her sleeves and quickly started to dry the plates with a towel, one by one. Eli was a diligent girl, and she would do whatever she was told to without objections. Most of the time, she would do easy tasks faster and more efficiently than her own mother. Knowing this, the woman kept washing the plates at a faster pace. Before they realized, the sink was completely empty, with all the plates sitting in the drawer in pristine condition.

"_Good job._" The mother looked at her child, and slightly raised her hand in a "_high-five_" motion. The little girl cheerfully raised her hand as well, and pushed it against her mother's, resulting in a "clap" sound of victory and accomplishment. With a skip and a hop, she exited the kitchen.

"_I'll be in my room, okay?_" Eli announced at her mother, and she nodded back. Eli ran upstairs into the music studio in search for the guitar she was practicing with, but she couldn't find it anywhere. Walking out the studio, she heard a guitar melody coming out of Arisa's room. As she went in, she saw her father playing a calm melody to her almost-asleep little sister. She stayed quiet until the brown-haired man stopped playing, signaling her daughter's passing into the dream world.

Turning back to the door, he saw his daughter in the entrance, brightfully smiling at her father. He turned off the small table lamp next to Arisa's bed and smiled back at her. Slowly exiting as to not wake up the sleeping Arisa, they both entered the music studio where Eli's father stuffed his guitar into its respective black case. Eli patted her father's back, which made him turn around, shifting his eyes down to the small blonde with curiosity.

"_Say, Papa... Will you teach me how to play guitar again?_" The blonde girl innocently asked, whereas her father sighed and walked past her. He could see her daughter's sulky expression at the sudden silence, and she turned her back around, facing her father once more with determination.

"_...Do you find it fun?_" Her father asked, still facing away from her.

"_Yes._" Eli replied seriously, which made her father's shoulders visually twitch. He put his hand behind his neck, scratching it nervously.

"_I'm not exactly a great teacher, and learning guitar is pretty boring, honestly..._" He muttered these few words before slowly turning his back to face the little girl once more, and she was smiling like ever before.

"_Yes, but even so, I want to learn how to play like you, Papa._" Her father smiled warmly at the blonde, and he approached her slowly, bending his right knee and crouching down to match her daughter's height. With a small movement, he embraced her daughter's petite body and pressed it against his chest.

"_You make me proud, Eli. I'll be glad to teach you what I know,_" He pulled away from his daughter and looked at her deep azure eyes.

"_But you might surpass me in more ways than one._" His father smirked, and Eli smiled at the comment with a nod. Parting away from their small skinship, he took Eli's hand and accompanied her to her room.

Eli's room was decorated in skyish blue colors and vibrant pink stripes all around the walls. It was very spacious, just so she could practice her ballerina moves in her free time. It was definitely the biggest room in the house. He followed Eli to her bed, where she cheerfully hopped on and started putting blankets beneath her. Her father turned on the small table lamp next to her bed, and turned off the room lights, leaving a single light source next to her daughter.

"_I'll be going to sleep now. Good night, Eli._" Her father carefully raising Eli's blankets to comfortably protect her from the cold, he kissed Eli's forehead. With a giggle, she grabbed a hold of a stuffed animal in form of a panther that was sitting next to her bed, and she replied back to her father.

"_Good night, Papa._"

* * *

"_Nn..._"

An unfamiliar ceiling. Ayase Eli shot up from the comfortable queen-sized bed, and she looked around for hints of where she might be, with sluggish eye movements and laziness. It was too dark to see her surroundings, and she suddenly covered her face underneath her bed sheets, slightly shaking at the lack of sunlight. She remembers what happened last night, and pulled out the conclusion that this was the Nishikino residence's guest room, where she slept the entire night in. Not sure whenether it was early morning or deep in the night, she nervously peeked her head out of the sheets looked at the digital clock next to her, signaling it was almost 5:00 AM. Rubbing her eyes awake, she slowly raised herself from the bed, quickly turning on the lamp over the table and exhaled in relief, now feeling secure about her surroundings. Fixing her night dress and making the bed she slept in, she walked over to the mirror, where she found her phone beneath it.

Checking her phone, she received several messages from her mother, all unanswered after she suddenly announced she was staying at a friend's house. Most of them were questions like where she was, who was she with and why didn't she plan this ahead of time. Putting the phone aside with an audible sigh, she tried to look for her belongings in the room, with no luck. Careful as to not wake up the host, she opened the guest room's door and walked into the hallway, heading for the kitchen.

It was dark all the way through, and she could be seen hugging the wall desperately, her legs shaking and her face overflowing with cold sweat. She was always afraid of the dark as a child, and it hasn't changed up to this day.

She reached the kitchen and quickly opened the large refrigerator door, feeling safe as she basked in the source of light. She grabbed a vase and served her a glass of cold water to help her recover from sleep. Turning on the kitchen lights, she closed the refrigerator slowly, and walked over to the living room, where she spotted her school bag sitting on the table.

Taking a seat in the comfortable sofa, she rummaged through the bag's contents, trying to look for something. With her face beaming joy after locating what she was looking for, she took out what seemed like a small stuffed animal in form of a panther.

"_Pantera-chan... I missed you so much~_" She hugged the stuffed animal and pushed her face against the fabric. It was Eli's precious friend since middle school, and although some people teased her for it, she didn't care. She continued to hug the panther until an unexpected guest came out of the hallway.

"_Eli? Is that you?_" A half-asleep Maki came out of the hallway, with a hand rubbing her eye in a sluggish motion. Eli flinched and quickly put the stuffed animal behind her back, hiding it from view.

"_Ah... Maki-chan!? Did you just wake up?_" Eli asked nervously, a sweat drop forming on her face. Maki cocked her head sideways in a confused manner at the sudden stiffness the blonde was expressing at her appearance, and she looked at her over once more.

"_Yes, I'll make breakfast real quick, so make yourself at home._" The redhead said as she headed for the kitchen. A sigh of relief could be heard from Eli as she saw her host disappear from her sight.

"_Thank you._" She said loud enough for Maki to hear in the kitchen. The sounds of plate clatter and the coffee maker becoming part of the atmosphere, she quickly hid the stuffed animal inside her bag and raised a finger in front of her mouth.

"_Shh!_" She hushed the stuffed toy playfully. She stood up from the sofa and walked back to the guest room, bag in hand. She passed by Maki in the kitchen, and asked her a pretty good question.

"_Maki, where's my uniform?_" Eli asked the redhead while she was toasting some bread.

"_In the laundry. Go down the hallway until the end, left door._" Maki announced in her tsundere voice. Eli nodded and headed towards the laundry, where she went to get changed.

Going inside the laundry, she noticed her senior uniform hanging on the wall, alongside Maki's freshman one. Leaving the door slightly open, she took the handle of her uniform set and placed it over the washing machine, taking off the night dress Maki lent her in a swift motion. With only a pair of panties and a plump bra, Eli proceeded to put on her uniform's undershirt.

Halfway through, she heard the door creak, which made her flinch as she quickly turned around to see Maki... blushing furiously with her mouth wide open.

"_I... I'm s-sorry! I didn't know you were going to change in the laundry!_" Maki stuttered, and turned her back against Eli, feeling embarrassed. She quickly exited the laundry, leaving a frozen Eli behind. Getting a hold of the situation, she tried to gather up what has happened so far... And realized that she was seen half-naked by the redhead.

Trying not to scream in embarrassment, Eli put a hand on her forehead, and she felt very hot. Her heart was beating faster than before, and in a panic, she tried to forget what happened the last few seconds. Regaining her composure, she resumed putting on her uniform. Leaving the night dress inside, she exited the laundry, still feeling embarrassed, thinking what she should tell Maki when she sees her.

Returning to the kitchen, she saw Maki laying food on the dining table. A pair of fried eggs and toasted bread, with coffee and a carton of milk to drink. Trying not to look at the blonde directly, she walked past her with her head down, slightly blushing.

"_I'll get changed too... So go ahead and eat._" She told the blonde, sounding insecure about her words. Smiling slightly, the blonde took a seat in the table and dropped the bag on the floor next to her. Taking a piece of bread, she started eating it. The bread tasted very crisp and was very soft, easy enough to eat.

Meanwhile, the redhead headed for the laundry to change as well. Closing the door, she took her uniform from the wall and noticed something above the washing machine.

It was the night dress she lent Eli to sleep in.

Staring at the piece of clothing for a few seconds, she finally snapped back to the real world.

"_...No, Maki... Get a hold of yourself._" The redhead shook her head from side to side, denying her inner desire to take Eli's used night dress and smell it all over, from top to bottom. The very same dress Eli used to sleep in, possibly sweaty from the fact that Eli hasn't taken a bath since arriving at her house. The very same dress that had Eli's essence all over, where it directly touched all of the blonde's erogenous zones, including her breasts, armpits, navel, thighs, butt and...

Maki's face exploded in embarrassment, her face turning into a similar colored shade as her hair. She quickly changed into her uniform with the thought of smelling Eli's used night dress resting in her head. Once she was done, she glanced at the night dress once more.

"_...I'll come back to it after school... _" The blonde giggled to herself, closing the laundry door with expectations for tonight. She walked through the hallway and into the kitchen, where she found Eli eating soundly in the dining table.

"_Ah... Maki. The food will get cold._" Eli said with crumbs of bread around her mouth.

"_You have some on your face._" The redhead pointed at her own mouth, which made Eli quickly take a napkin and wipe her face, flustered. The small spectacle made Maki smile, and she began eating as well.

After they were done, Maki picked up all the plates and put them in the dishwasher. Making sure she hasn't forgotten anything, she took her school bag and approached Eli, who was blankly staring at her phone.

"_Have you contacted your parents?_" Maki asked with a concerned expression.

"_...Yes, don't worry. I told them I'm going to school properly._" Eli smiled at the freshman, and she showed a sign of relief.

"_That's good. Are you all set?_" Maki asked once more before opening the door to the cold winter.

"_Yes, let's go."_ Eli replied, returning to her usual Student Council President self. Exhaling deeply, Maki opened the door, and they both headed towards Otonokizaka High School.

The walk was silent, with Maki leading in front. After yesterday's snowstorm, people could be seen taking snow out of the streets and corners, and big locomotives would pass by every once in a while, taking large amounts of snow with them.

It was only a matter of time before they finally reached Otonokizaka's main entrance, where they spotted two very familiar faces.

A small girl with jet black hair and a tall girl with purple hair, both wearing senior uniforms. Both pairs slowly walked towards each other without exchanging any words.

This is the fated encounter they've been waiting for.

* * *

**And so our main characters meet! EliMakiNozoNico!... That sounded weird.**

**Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for next chapter! ヽ(=´▽`=)ﾉ**


	4. Chapter 4: Rude Awakening

**Here's the next chapter, portraying Nozomi's and Nico's morning and the aftermath of their encounter with Maki and Eli. There's a really lewd scene in here that I couldn't help but write, this being part of the numerous situations I would like to place the pairings in. I'm a really warped human being. (ヽ´ω`)**

**I'm really unsure if the rating should change to M or it's still borderline. Please read this chapter and tell me if I should change it or not! (；´∀｀)**

* * *

Rays of sunlight went through the small apartment's window as the birds chirped, signaling the start of a new day. With a small grunt, Toujou Nozomi opened her eyes to get blinded as the sunlight entered her field of vision. Moving her head slightly, she could see Nico sleeping soundly behind her back, emitting a slight breathing noise from her mouth. Using her free hand, she took her phone that was lying on the bed-side table and looked at the time, reading 6:00 AM in the morning. As she placed her phone back, she could feel sudden movements on her bed.

Nico placed her arms around Nozomi, hugging her in a tight embrace. She could feel Nico's chest pressing against her back, as well as her small legs crossing between her thighs. Surprised at the abrupt warmth, she froze for a few seconds, trying to get a hold of the situation.

"_Nico…_" Nozomi whispered lightly, showing no restraint against the small senior. She decided to bask in the warmth of the raven-haired girl for a little while, and she slowly closed her eyes, relaxing her shoulders and smiling to her best friend's skinship.

Until, all of a sudden, Nico grabbed a hold of Nozomi's ample breasts, rubbing them softly.

"_Ahn!_" Nozomi moaned, flinging her eyes open in realization, and she looked back at Nico, who was showing a joyful expression while apparently still asleep.

"_N-Nicocchi!? Hey, stop that…!_" Nozomi whispered at Nico, who was seemingly ignoring Nozomi's cries of pleasure and embarrassment. Nico continued to rub Nozomi's breasts in a set rhythm, causing the spiritual girl to twitch and jerk at the small girl's attack.

"_Munyaa… I took the giant marshmallows, nico~_" Nico said in her sleep, which made Nozomi snap in her mind. Just what is she dreaming about!?

"_Nicocchi…! Wake up already, jeez… Ah!_" Nozomi moaned uncontrollably, her body shaking at the rush of sensations she was feeling at that moment. In her rubbing movements, Nico would often graze through Nozomi's nipples, causing her to quiver slightly at the sudden touch. Touching her forehead, she could feel light-headedness and high fever, even though it's the middle of winter.

"_Ah… can't be helped, nico~ I'll share it with everyone~!_" Nico grabbed Nozomi's breasts with small force, and tried to separate them from each other. Nozomi squealed and put her hands over her mouth, muffling the screams of pleasure. She could feel her erect nipples budding against her blouse, which made her blush even harder, her heart racing faster than ever before.

"_Nico...cchi… S-Stop already… I'm…_" Nozomi moaned, her shoulders losing strength and her light-headedness increasing. She could feel a tingling sensation down in her shorts, and she bumped her behind against Nico's groin, causing her to react on contact. Nico was soft, and she couldn't resist the temptation of falling prey to her assault.

"_Haaahn!_" Almost reaching her limit, her body shot up against Nico, the small girl's rubbing movements continuing. She noticed her blouse's stripes falling down from her shoulders, giving Nico a chance to graze Nozomi's raw breasts. Unable to control herself, Nozomi trailed her hand down to her shorts, and started caressing her privates in reaction.

"_No… Why am I doing this…?_" Nozomi moaned, and her finger movements increasing. Putting her hand inside her shorts, she touched her core directly, her outer lips excreting a vicious liquid.

"_Nicocchi…! I'm sorry, I'm going to…!_" Nozomi violently jerked her hips forward, reaching her short-term climax. Unable to move anymore, her arms fell limp on the bed, losing strength completely. She noticed Nico stopped rubbing her breasts, one of her arms parting from her body and falling limp on the bed as well.

Taking this as a chance, she sluggishly raised herself off the bed, almost tripping and falling down the hard floor. Panting heavily, she left a sleepy Nico strewn about in her bed.

"_Haa… Haa…_" Nozomi was breathing heavily, feeling her heart was about to burst out at any moment. She looked at her right hand closely, and a transparent substance could be seen plastered between her fingers. Her face turning into a full shade of red, she looked back at Nico, who was still sleeping like nothing happened.

"_Jeez… Nicocchi is a pervert…_" Nozomi pouted as she headed to the bathroom to wash her face, trying to erase any record of what just happened off her memory. She looked at herself in the mirror, a flustered Nozomi showing in the reflective surface. Sighing, she splashed water on her face in frustration, still embarrassed over what happened a few minutes ago.

"_Although, I'm more of a pervert than her…_" Wiping off her face with a towel in embarrassment, she walked over to the toilet, unzipping her shorts and pulling down her violet panties. Sitting on the toilet lid, she looked down and she noticed a big stain on the fabric of panties, causing her business to leak out as soon as she noticed the mark of immorality Nico left in her undergarments. Steam blowing off her ears, she hid her face with both hands and cursed at herself for getting off on her best friend.

Walking out of the bathroom with a depressed expression, she spotted Nico yawning, getting off the bed sluggishly. They noticed each other's presence, the purple-haired teen blushing slightly.

"_Good morning, Nozomin! Did you sleep well?_" Nico asked, still half-asleep but maintaining her cheerful voice. She was sparkling with bed-hair and wrinkles all over her clothes, and she headed towards Nozomi's direction. She took a step back in fear of getting breast rubbed again, causing Nico to react.

"_What's wrong?_" Nico said in a confused expression, and Nozomi retaliated. She walked towards Nico and handed her the towel she wiped her face with, smiling slightly.

"_Nothing, just still feeling asleep… I had a rude awakening._" Nozomi said in her usual dialect with a blush forming on her face, causing Nico to sulk a little.

"_Was it because I was sleeping with you? I took some bed space after all…_" Nico looked down in defeat, feeling a bit depressed for being a bother to her friend. Nozomi approached her and placed her hand over Nico's head, rubbing it softly.

"_No, you're wrong. I enjoyed sleeping with you after such a long time, Nicocchi._" Nozomi sweetly said to the raven-haired girl, causing her to brim of happiness. She attacked Nozomi with a hug, crashing her head against her breasts.

"_Nozomin~! You're so sweet~!_" Nico exclaimed, rubbing her head against Nozomi's ample bosom. Still sensitive for what happened earlier, she flinched at Nico's movements, a full-on blush portraying on her face.

"_Ahn! Wait, Nicocchi…! I get it already, so let go, will you!?_" Nozomi said, trying to play it off as a tease and trying to get separated from Nico, who locked eyes with her.

"_Oh, sorry!_" Nico pulled away from Nozomi.

"_I'll be taking a bath now, so get the uniforms and breakfast ready, stat!_" Nico pointed at Nozomi with her bossy attitude, something the spiritual girl was already used to. She smiled at the raven-haired girl's antics, and turned around towards the kitchen.

"_As you wish, Miss Super Idol._" Nozomi disappeared into the kitchen, leaving a satisfied Nico behind in the bathroom's entrance.

Putting on her brown apron, Nozomi started making preparations for breakfast. There was still plenty of time before school started, but as seniors, they had to arrive early to live up to Otonokizaka's expectations.

Nico headed into the bathroom; taking off Nozomi's clothes she lent her in the process. Spotting her reflection on the mirror, she made her signature pose, waving at an imaginary audience and smiling. Grabbing her borrowed clothes, she put them aside in a pile and started taking off her pink underwear. Turning on the bathroom shower, she entered slowly, trying to get used to the cold water coming out.

Nozomi decided to make a traditional japanese breakfast consisting of onigiri, miso soup and boiled eggs. Getting preparations for breakfast ready, she overhears Nico singing in the bathroom once again.

_I want you~_  
_I need you~_  
_I love you~_  
_Atama no naka~_  
_Gangan natteru MUSIC~_  
_Heavy Rotation~_

Nozomi doesn't recognize the song or melody at all, but still tries to hum along with her upbeat singing. Taking out clean plates from the drawer and empty bowls for the miso soup and rice, she serves the fool on the dining table. Taking stripes of nori, she takes a loaf of rice and transforms it into a triangle-shaped onigiri with her hands at an incredible speed. She went back into the kitchen to get a jar of juice and cups for both of them, as well as utensils.

Nozomi heard the bathroom shower turn off, meaning Nico was done with her bath. Taking her time cleaning the used bowls and turning off the rice cooker, she walked to the dining table, taking a seat and noticing the small senior brushing her long hair.

"_Sorry to keep you waiting, nico~_" Said the raven-haired girl as she brushed her hair down straight, already wearing the Otonokizaka senior uniform. She took a seat on the dining table alongside Nozomi.

"_Why aren't you sitting across?_" Nozomi asked, looking down at her friend next to her.

"_I don't know. I just wanted to be next to you~_" Nico said with a smile, causing Nozomi to blush slightly, locking her eyes on the food.

"_A-Anyway, let's eat quickly. Itadakimasu._" Nozomi announced, taking a piece of onigiri and eating it in a hurry.

"_Okay, Itadakimasu-nico~!_" Nico did the same, taking sips of her miso soup between bites. Sound of munching and sipping overtook the atmosphere, the two hungry girls wolfing down the food in an instant.

After a few minutes, they both completely obliterated breakfast, leaving no leftovers behind. Drinking down the remainder of her juice in a single sitting, Nozomi started picking up the plates and used utensils to the kitchen, leaving them in the sink and pouring water on them.

"_I'm going to take a shower, so get your stuff ready. I won't take long._" Nozomi said to the raven-haired girl, heading for the bathroom.

"_Roger!_" Nico saluted like a soldier in training, and went into Nozomi's room, where she went to look for her school bag. Scouting around the room, she found a school bag above the drawer in the corner of her eye, and walked towards it. She opened the bag and confirmed it's contents, reaching to the conclusion that... It was Nozomi's bag.

"_Oh, this is the wrong one..._" Nico said as she proceeded to zip the bag shut, until she noticed a small purple notebook, almost too small to be used in class. Zipping it back open, she took the small notebook and looked at the cover.

"_This is... Nozomi's diary?_" The raven-haired girl gasped, curious to read its contents. Part of her wanted to know about what she wrote in her everyday life, especially what she wrote about her. Another part wanted to put the notebook back in the bag, being a good friend and restricting herself from knowing Nozomi's secrets.

Her eyes spinning, she was at a loss. She wanted to read at least one paragraph, but she couldn't. She stayed still for a few minutes, thinking about the consequences reading Nozomi's diary would bring, like getting breast rubbed until passing out, or even worse things. She shook her head and tried to make a decision quickly.

In the middle of her frustration, she heard the door open, and she put the diary behind her back in panic.

"_Nicocchi? What are you doing, hurry up or we'll be late!_" Nozomi said, towards Nico.

"_Ah, yes! I'm just looking for my bag..._" Nico said, her eyes looking in various directions, still taking note of Nozomi's movements. She moved out of her way as she grabbed her school bag swiftly, zipping it shut and looking at Nico, who was flustered.

"_If you're looking for it, it's near the entrance. Let's go._" Nozomi went ahead and took Nico's arm, leading her out of the room. She still grabbed a hold of Nozomi's diary with her free hand, trying to hide it from view.

"_Ah... Wait, Nozomin! Stop pulling me around~!_" Nico said jokingly as she got dragged by Nozomi to the door, where she found her school bag lying on the floor. Using her keys to open the door, Nozomi stepped outside the cold winter. She locked eyes with Nico, who gave her a signal to hurry up.

Nozomi turned her back around, giving Nico a chance to hide the purple diary in her bag. She opened the school bag and quickly stuffed the diary inside, picking it up and zipping it shut before heading outside as well. Nozomi walked past Nico once more and closed the apartment door, both seniors walking to the school side by side.

* * *

Nico would often try to strike a conversation with Nozomi, talking about various topics, but mostly about idols. Nozomi liked hearing the latest news about the idol world from Nico, thinking it's amazing how girls can be so talented and respected around the business. With Nico aspiring to be a professional idol, she needs to know everything about the field.

Walking by the snowy streets, Nico went very quiet halfway through, awfully so. Nozomi noticed this, and bent her torso down, looking directly at Nico's face with a cute expression.

"_What's up, Nicocchi? Something on your mind?_" Nozomi playfully asked with a smile. Nico jumped a bit, and slowed down her pace to match Nozomi's.

"_Ah, it's nothing... It's just so cold, my vocal chords are frozen!_" Nico smiled at her best friend, sticking her tongue out in a playful manner. They both giggled and continued their journey to Otonokizaka.

After a few minutes, they could see the main high school building from afar. Almost reaching the entrance, they spotted two very familiar silhouettes coming towards them.

A blonde girl wearing a senior uniform and a red-haired girl wearing a freshman one, walking side by side. Nozomi could recognize both of them very clearly, and she slowed her pace down in hesitation.

All of a sudden, Nico gave her best friend a light push forward, surprising the purple-haired girl. She looked back and saw Nico smiling brightfully, and she realized that she's not alone. She nodded at her and faced forward, resuming her pace. It wasn't long before both pairs faced eachother in front of the entrance, not a single word coming out.

Ayase Eli was looking straight at the spiritual girl with serious eyes, which made Nozomi look down in defeat. She was the first one to break the silence.

"_Elicchi... I..._" Nozomi tried to mutter a few words, but she couldn't speak at all. It must be the cold that made her unable to form a sentence in front of her friend, and she wanted to run away at that moment.

Taking a deep breath, Eli walked towards Nozomi, the spiritual girl closing her eyes shut in fear. What she felt was the complete opposite; a sudden warmth filling her body.

Eli hugged Nozomi in a tight embrace. The on-lookers sighed in unison and smiled at the sign of affection, Eli being the first one to speak.

"_I'm sorry, Nozomi. I yelled at you like that, and it's all my fault. I really regret my actions._" Eli looked at her teary-eyed friend.

"_Would you forgive me?_" Eli asked, locking her eyes with Nozomi's.

"_...Yes! I'll forgive you, Elicchiii!_" Nozomi hugged Eli back, tears overflowing her face. She was so happy to be reunited with her friend once more. Eli caressed her hair as she cried her eyes out, Maki and Nico getting teary-eyed as well.

"_Huuuuh? Maki-chan, are you crying?_" Nico said to the redhead, trying to hide her own small tears by facing away from her.

"_I-I'm not! You look pretty teary-eyed yourself!_" Maki pointed at the small senior, and she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"_I'm not, idiot!_" Nico retorted.

Nozomi and Eli laughed, parting from their embrace. They looked at their companions, who smiled back at them in delight. However, being the curious girl she is, Nico asked a dangerous question.

"_Why did you suddenly snap at her like that, though? Nico doesn't understand..._" The raven-haired girl said, causing everyone to fall quiet. Eli felt an ominous feeling of guilt at the sudden question, and she looked away from Nozomi.

"_I also want to know, too._" Nozomi looked at Eli with determination. Maki simply played with her strands of hair, and Nico was perplexed at the sudden seriousness the group was showing. Eli looked back at Nozomi, who was sporting a very serious expression, unforeseen from her.

"_...I'll discuss this with you girls after class in the Student Council Room... I'll tell you everything there._" Eli announced in a commanding voice. The atmosphere was filled with a sinking premonition, before getting interrupted by the school bell ringing. They could see waves of students going inside the school grounds, almost on cue.

"_Well then... Let's head to our classes._" Eli said as she walked ahead of the group. Maki quickly followed, sticking her tongue out to Nico, who hid behind Nozomi's back in response.

"_Jeez... That girl always gets on my nerves!_" Nico said infuriatedly, crunching Nozomi's uniform with her hands.

"_Calm down, Nicocchi... Let's just go to class._" Nozomi said, and Nico nodded, trailing behind her best friend closely. They both headed inside the building and into their classroom together.

It wasn't long until all the teachers entered their respective classrooms, signaling the start of the first period.

* * *

Nishikino Maki started putting away her textbook and school supplies inside her desk as soon as the bell rang, and she walked outside. She wanted to see the blonde as soon as possible. Taking a turn at the flights of stairs, she walked up to the third floor, heading for the Student Council Room.

Opening the door slowly, Ayase Eli was sitting on the table, holding a guitar case between her arms and looking at the cold sunset outside the window. Maki sighed and closed the door, surprising the blonde.

"_Maki? What are you doing here?_" Eli asked, putting the guitar case aside in a swift movement.

"_I wanted to know how you were doing._" Maki answered honestly, setting her school bag aside and walking towards Eli, taking a seat on a chair next to the table. She stretched her arms and let out a sigh, looking at Eli with her violet eyes.

"_So, is your mind prepared?_" Maki asked with her usual attitude, making Eli look down in worry.

"_I'm not sure… This is the first time I've talked to anyone about this._" Eli said with a sorrowful expression. Maki placed her hand above Eli's, and looked at her face from below.

"_Just remember that I'm here with you, in case anything happens._" Maki assured her in a sweet voice, and the blonde smiled back at her.

"_Thank you, Maki._" Eli stared at the redhead for a few seconds, before hearing the door open once again. The twintailed girls entered the Student Council Room, one after another. Maki quickly retracted her hand from Eli, and she looked at the expected guests.

"_We're here._" Nozomi said first as she walked towards Eli, who stood up from the table and faced her. Nico followed after, staying behind Nozomi's back the entire time, taking notice of the scarlet-haired girl sitting nearby Eli.

"_Why is she here?_" Nico asked in an irritated voice, making Maki retort in offense.

"_Why are you here? You don't have anything to do with this._" Maki said, feeling annoyed at the small senior's presence.

"_You don't have anything to do with this either!_" Nico answered back at her, getting stopped by Nozomi in the progress.

"_Now, now… Let's just listen to what they have to say, okay?_" Nozomi asked the raven-haired girl with a sweet tone, and Nico complied. She stayed quiet for a few seconds, and Nozomi faced Eli once again.

"_Now… I'd like to hear your story, Elicchi._" Nozomi said with determination. Eli nodded and took a seat next to Maki, with Nozomi and Nico following suit. Taking a deep breath, Eli began to speak.

The tragic story of Ayase Eli began.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUNNN.** **Expect more backstory next chapter! Those are boring, but necessary. We'll get to the hugs and kisses eventually, please bear with this in the meantime.**

**Thank you for reading! ヽ(=´▽`=)ﾉ**


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